HoopWise from New England Basketball Journal

Prep basketball analyst Brad Feldman joins Ethan Fuller and Steve Hewitt to preview the New England prep season, with special attention to the NEBL's postseason eligibility dispute and contenders across NEPSAC classes. Feldman brings his embedded perspective on NEBL, while the hosts add reporting, roster context, and their own picks for a wide-open season. They also examine contenders and sleepers across NEPSAC Classes A, B Large, and B Small. They compare returning talent, coaching, size, and roster depth before making championship picks and highlighting under-the-radar players to watch.

In this episode, Ethan Fuller and Steve Hewitt analyze the recent NEPSAC ruling that makes NEBL teams ineligible for the 2027 postseason, exploring the timeline, implications, and underlying principles behind the decision.    

In this episode, John Monagan, head coach at Ethel Walker, shares insights into the NEPSAC girls basketball playoff system, its evolution, and how it promotes fair competition and challenging schedules. Ethan Fuller explores the intricacies of the system, its impact on teams, and the future of NEPSAC basketball.

In this episode, Ethan Fuller and Steve Hewitt discuss the latest trends in basketball recruiting, focusing on top commitments from the New England region, and analyze how these decisions impact the college basketball landscape.

In this episode, Ethan Fuller interviews Scott Papek, a mindset coach from Max Out Mindset with a background in music and sports psychology, about mental performance, stress management, and the importance of self-awareness for athletes. They explore techniques like reset words, dealing with social media comparison, and the role of discipline in athletic development.

In this episode, Ethan Fuller and Steve Hewitt discuss the latest updates in the New England basketball scene, including rankings, player development, and the impact of grassroots play versus school ball. They analyze key players in the 2027, 2028 and 2029 classes, offering insights into talent evaluation and future prospects.

In this episode, Vin Pastore, the longtime program director at Mass Rivals, joins to discuss his 17U team’s remarkable run to the final of the Adidas 3SSB championships, the rise of star guard Antonio Pemberton and his young core, highlighted by nationally ranked 2028 prospect Derek Swartz. He shares insights on youth development, the impact of reclassification, the importance of relationships in coaching, and the evolving landscape of high school and prep school basketball.

Ethan Fuller and Steve Hewitt buckle down indoors to wrap up a non-stop three weeks of basketball coverage. Steve breaks down his major takeaways from attending both NEPSAC Boys Scholastic Showcase weekends at Worcester Academy, sharing why he believes this is the most crucial stretch on the prep basketball calendar.   The guys discuss the shifting talent landscape, a wave of new coaching faces, and how rosters are shaping up ahead of the July live period. Plus, Steve shares some incredible full-circle UMass throwbacks and a fun trivia note involving two 2008 Boston Celtics champions spotted in the gym.   Key Discussion Points The Most Important Stretch of the Year: Steve drops his "hot take" on why the NEPSAC showcases have become the most valuable evaluation and recruitment window of the prep calendar.   A Shift in Talent Dynamics: An honest look at the lack of elite, high-major national talent compared to last year. Steve notes that this year's showcase served as a massive breeding ground for prominent mid-major, low-major, Division II, and Division III programs.   Roster Overhauls & Standout Teams:  * Newman & Cushing: How these powerhouse programs are reloading after losing major senior talent.   * Mount St. Charles: Kyle Delves’ explosive athleticism and the team's blazing court pace.   * Winchendon & Masters (NY): Navigating roster turnover and Damian Mojica’s thrilling buzzer-beating dunk.   * Quick Hits: Shoutouts to undefeated showcase runs by Beaver Country Day and Rivers.

Steve Hewitt and Ethan Fuller recap the 2026 NEPSAC Girls Scholastic Showcase at Worcester Academy, widely praised by prep and college coaches for smooth logistics, three adjacent courts, competitive games, and time efficiency. A tornado warning on Thursday forced everyone into the lobby for about an hour and led to shortened games (running clock) before the schedule largely recovered. Fuller shares weekend vignettes, including photographer Doug Leclerc’s shooting, Malia Pierre’s notable “milk and cookies” sneakers, insights from Twin Visuals and a referee, and his commuter-rail trip. They discuss what the showcase reveals about team development and recruiting, with over 120 programs attending, and outline early team takeaways, plus early thoughts on AAA contenders.   Topics 00:18 Showcase Recap and Praise 02:35 Tornado Warning Chaos 05:07 Schedule Adjustments 07:08 Weekend Vignettes 08:55 Shoes Film and Refs 11:17 Commuter Rail Adventure 12:31 Why NEPSAC Matters 13:31 Evaluation Takeaways 14:50 Recruiting Class Priorities 16:53 Why This Showcase Works 17:52 Which Colleges Attended 20:14 How Teams Were Evaluated 24:36 More Teams That Impressed 27:58 Triple A Is Loaded 29:25 Rankings Updates and Wrap-Up

Ethan Fuller and Steve Hewitt preview the upcoming NEPSAC/NESA Scholastic Showcases in June, with two boys weekends and a girls showcase in between, all at Worcester Academy. They discuss why June and July form a crucial stretch for recruiting, chemistry-building and early looks at new prep rosters amid heavy turnover and the evolving college coaching calendar, noting limited 2027 commitments. Hewitt explains how he evaluates showcase games and cautions against overvaluing team results while still gleaning projections. They highlight matchups such as Nobles vs. Exeter, Putnam Science vs. Cushing, Milton Academy vs. Hotchkiss, St. Paul’s vs. Austin Prep, and New Hampton vs. St. Thomas More, plus teams and players to watch. They note the event is typically coaches-only and draws major college coaches, and they tease extensive coverage and a new magazine release. Topics 01:03 Podcast Kickoff 01:34 June Recruiting Rush 04:08 Showcase Preview Setup 05:01 Covering the Event 08:27 Do Results Matter? 10:53 Games to Circle 16:15 Teams With Storylines 17:40 Players to Watch 22:49 Why This Showcase Matters 24:47 Worcester Logistics 25:51 Wrap-Up and Plug